Melanie Oudin Biography

Tennis Player, Athlete(1991–)

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American tennis player Melanie Oudin became a fan favorite during her surprising run to the quarterfinals of the 2009 U.S. Open.

Synopsis

Melanie Oudin was born on September 23, 1991, in Marietta, Georgia. Introduced to tennis at age 7, she was one of the top-ranked junior players by the time she turned
pro in 2008. Oudin drew attention by defeating some of the sport's top players to reach the quarterfinals of the 2009 U.S. Open, and two years later she teamed with
Jack Sock to win the U.S. Open mixed doubles title.

Profile

Tennis player. Born on September 23, 1991, in Marietta, Georgia, Melanie Oudin and her twin sister, Katherine, were introduced to the game by their grandmother at the age of 7.

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By age 9, Oudin was already thinking about turning professional. She told her mother, "I'm going to be on those courts by the time I'm 16," according an article in The New York Times. Home-schooled since the seventh grade, Oudin devoted much of her time to training.

As a junior player, Oudin scored 92 wins and suffered 29 losses in International Tennis Federation (ITF) singles competitions. At the age of 16, Oudin won her first professional title at the $50,000 Lexington event in July 2007. She was one of the top-ranked female junior players by the time she went professional in 2008.

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That same year, Oudin played at the U.S. Open, where she was eliminated in the first round. She was also knocked out of the first round of the Australian Open in 2009, but she made it to the fourth round of Wimbledon that year.

Oudin captured the attention of the tennis world with her surprising run at the 2009 U.S. Open. She defeated four opponents, including Russian stars Elena Dementieva
and Maria Sharapova, before falling to Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals. The 17-year-old thrilled the crowds at the event with her sheer determination and
positive attitude, and drew praise from Roger Federer. "She's beaten great players on the way now and it's nice for a change that somebody's coming up we haven't heard
about much before," the Swiss tennis star told the press.

The impressive showing boosted the confidence of the young American. "Now I know I do belong here," she said, after one of her wins. "I can compete with these girls no
matter who I'm playing. I have a chance against anyone."

Oudin struggled to mount sustained success in subsequent major tournaments, though she teamed with Jack Sock to win the 2011 U.S. Open mixed doubles title. In 2012,
she defeated Jelena Jankovic in the final of the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England, to claim her first WTA title.

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